Grain-heading machine



Nov. 11, 1924- y v 1.51s,229 A. M. STRACHAN GRAIN HEADING MACHINE Filed OCT, 16, 1922 FFc -ZIA Ioo- INVENTOR. A. M. STRACHAIV,

' Arron/Eva.

Nov. 11; 1924. 1,515,229

A. M. STRACHAN GRAIN HEADING MACHINE Filed 00b 16 92 I5 Sheets-Sheet. 3

INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y8.

Patented Nov. 11, 1924.

UNETED STATEd PATENT ARCHIIBALD M. STRACHAN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

GRAIN-I-IEADING MACHINE.

Application filed October 16, 1922. Serial No. 594,950.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARoHIBALn M. STRAoHAN, a citizen of the United States. residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Heading Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to grain heading machines. An object is to provide a machine which will cut off the heads of grain and deliver them in an efficient and expeditious manner with the saving of much time and labor as compared with machines now in use with which I am familiar. Another object is to provide a machine of this character which may be economically and readily constructed of standard material and parts. I accomplish the objects of my invention by providing a wheeled frame in combination with means for producing a current of air to deliver the cut-off heads.

The full objects and advantages ofmy invention will appear in connection with the detailed description, and the novel.

features embodied in my inventive idea will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment of my invention in one form,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the machine. Fig 2 is a vertical cross-sectional View through the receiving box. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the construction shown in the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a cylindrical casing which may be made of sheet iron and is provided with a longitudinal slot 12 which, as best shown in Fig. 5 extends for nearly the lower front quadrant of the casing. One end of the casing is closed by a plate 14, and the other end of the casing is partly closed by a segmental plate 16 which covers the space correspond ing to the slot 12 and extends somewhat beyond the upper and lower edges of this slot. Supported centrally by the inner corner of this plate and by the inner end of a radial bar 18 is a journal box 20 which contains a bearing 22 on a shaft 24 extending centrally and longitudinally through the casing. Secured centrally on the plate 14 is a journal box 26 which contains a bearing 28 on the shaft 24. Secured to the reduced end of the shaft 24 outside the casing is a wheel 30 on the periphery of which is a cam flange 32 which extends between two spaced rollers 34 and 36 mounted on the end of a reciprocating cutter bar 88, the cutters of which are adapted to cut the straw below the heads of grain. Secured to the shaft 24 adjacent the wheel 30 is a large sprocket wheel 40. A sprocket chain 42 runs over this sprocket wheel and over a small sprocket wheel 44 secured to a shaft 46 having bearings 48 and 50 contained in journal boxes 52 and 54 carried on the upper side of the casing 10. Secured to the other end of the shaft 46 from that which carries the sprocket wheel 44 is a large pulley 56 over which runs, a belt 58 which also runs over a small pulley 60 se cured to a shaft 62 to which is secured a fan 64 mounted adjacent the partly open end of the casing 10 so as to force a blast of air through this casing. Secured to the shaft 24 by bolts 66 are a plurality of curved blades 68, the outer edges of which closely engage the inner surface of the cylindrical casing 10. The blades 68 in succession during their rotation form temporary chambers in the casing 10 so that air cannot escape from the casing through the slot 12. Leading from the other end of the casing is a delivery pipe 70. The casing 10 is ad justably mounted on the front of a wheeled frame which as shown may be the frame of a motor vehicle. In order to thus mount the casing it is provided with pairs of ears 7 2 and 7 4 and secured to these ears are arms 7 6, the ends of which are secured to a shaft 78 rotatably mounted on the frame. Secured to the shaft 78 is an upwardly ex tending arm 80 which is connected by a link 82 with a hand lever 84 pivotally attached to the machine within reach of the driver. Upon operating the lever 84 the casing is either raised or lowered. For operating the shaft 46, a pulley 86 is secured thereto and a belt 88 runs over this pulley. This belt passes over idlers 90 and 92, and then around a pulley 94 secured to the power shaft 95 of the vehicle. In order to keep the belt taut, the idler 90 is mounted on a pivoted support 96 to which a spring 98 is attached for holding the idler against the belt. The pipe 70 discharges into a receiving box 100 mounted on the rear portion of the vehicle frame. This box may be arranged to dump automatically and its bottom is shown provided with an inverted V member 102 in order that an air space may be left under the pile of heads deposited on the ground. Since this automatic dump box is no part of the invention claimed in the present application it need not be described in detail.

The operation and advantages of my invention will now be obvious. The wheeled frame carrying at its front the casing and cutting mechanism is driven over the ground; the rotary blades 68 sweep the heads of grain backward into the slot 12 so that the straw below the heads is brought into engagement with the cutters. The cutoff heads are swept into the casing where they are subjected to the air blast produced by the fan 64; which carries them through the delivery pipe 70 into the receiving boi: 1.00. It will be noticed that the fan is driven from the shaft 46 at an increased rate of speed while the shaft 24:- is driven from shaft 46 at a decreased rate of speed.

I claim:

1. A grain heading machine comprising a wheeled frame adapted for movement over the ground, a horizontal cylindri l casing supported by said frame and llfiVlilgg a longitudinal slot therein, cutting mechanism at one edge of said slot a rotatable shaft exlending longitudinally through said casing blades attached to said shaft which closely engage the inside surface of said casing said blades in succession during their rotation 'lorming temporary chambers in said casing. a fan for producing a blast of air through said casing, and means for driving said fan at a greater rate of speed than that of said shaft.

9. A rain heading machine comprising a wheeled frame adapted for movement over the ground, a horizontal cylindrical casing supported by said frame and having a longitudinal slot therein, a reciprocating cutter mounted at one edge of said slot. means for operating said cutter a shaft extending lo? 'itudinaliy through said casing means for rotating said shaft, blades cured to said shaft which closely engage the inside surface of said casing said blades in en cession during their rotation forming temporary chambers in said casing, and means ror producing a blast of air through said casing.

3. f; grain heading machine comprisin a wheeled frame adapted for movement over the ground, a horizontal cylindrical casing supported by said frame and having a longitudinal slot therein, a reciprocating cutter mounted at the lower edge of said slot; a shaft extending longitudinally through said casing, means for rotating said shaft. blades attached to said shaft which closely engage the inside surface of said. casing. a can. wheel secured to said shaft for operat ing said cutter said blades in succession during their rotation forming temporary chambers in said casing, a fan at one end of said casing for producing blast of air through said casing means for driving said fan, and delivery pipe ertending from near the opposite end of said casing.

In testimony whereof ll hereunto z'nv si g n ature.

ARCHIBALD M. STRACHAN. 

